retrofit a water softner to become an iron filter

Can I retrofit a softner by changing the media and settings on the existing valve? I am replacing a failed MacCleens unit, I also have aquired 3 old softners One 3210 valve and timer, two 3200 manual timer. Also the maccleens unit has a 2510, but it leaks and needs to be rebuilt. Ihave two 9x44 tanks and 1 12x48 (old MacCleens unit)

the valve on the MacCleens is a brass valve that is held on with two screws to the base also brass. Does this base unscrew? If I can use that valve and timer on a different tank, then, how do size the tank? Where is a good place to order a rebuild kit for the valve, and order the gravel, and media(filox)? Or do I rebuild the valve and use the MacCleens tank?

no I didn't take a photo of that. But i belive that is it, as you described. I will need a rebuild kit for that, and assume the seals and piston are the same as the 2510. I have removed the valve and the housing from the maccleens tank, and flushed out the media and gravel that was left. I can reuse that tank (12x48) or I have another tank (9x41). What are the capacities, and how much new media do I need for either tank? Would one work better than the other. I want to use the new filox media.

To ensure an adequate flow for backwashing the filter media, please ensure the following: 10” tank, 5GPM; 12” tank, 7 GPM; 13” tank, 10GPM. If inadequate backwash flow rates are used, the filter media will not be flushed properly and will eventually become plugged with iron and fail.

Click to expand...

A head designed for water softening would have considerably smaller ports for backwashing as the resin is much lighter than the media used for iron filters.

Those flow rates are for Pumicite which while light, is not as light as resin beads. My softener (which has the same AutoTrol head but different port sizes) has flow rates less than half what the iron filter does.

It all comes down to the specs of media, some are more some are less...
Some have a bed depth, and then there is the free board.
Clack MTM has a specitic gravity of 2.0gm/cc while granet can have a specitic gravity of 4.0 and thus need more to back wash.
The Filox is 110lbs to the cubic foot, softener resin is 50lbs to the cubic foot, carbon for the most part is at about 24lbs to the cubic..

Should I increase backwash, first group of pins, or rapid rinse, second group of pins? the wheel is black with a white numbered front. What is best time increments for both settings? I have the original book for the maccleens, it has a section on the 2500 in it. factory setting is backwash--3pins, rapid rinse--2pins.

Unless the 12" original tank is leaking you should reuse it because it sounds as if it worked well until the valve starting leaking. And I've never heard of a 9" x 41" tank, 9x48" is a 1 cuft. You won't get 2 bags of most anything plus gravel in that size tank, let alone have the proper freeboard (about 15").